Travel News

Careful what you eat and where in Rome!

The city of Rome is beginning to restrict what you eat in certain areas of Rome. A new ordinance bars anyone from eating or drinking in Rome's historical center with fines of up to $80. The ordinance specifies "all areas of historic, cultural or artistic value, and in particular in the historic center.” Police are starting foot patrols in the area around the Spanish Steps.

Passengers with Reduced Mobility to Receive More Personal Assistance in EU

The EU has passed legislation that will help disabled passengers travel through airports in Europe. Starting July 26, all passengers who have a disability or suffer from reduced mobility, must be given appropriate help by airports from arrival, through check in, and onto the departure gates and boarding. They will need to ensure that disabled travelers are satisfied with the journey and will fly again.

Dolly the Tropical Storm

Tropical Storm Dolly formed in the western Caribbean on Sunday and has made landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula. According to meteorologists, Dolly is expected to cross the Yucatan Peninsula and enter the Gulf of Mexico on 21 July. This morning the storm was approximately 150 miles east of Progreso. The storm is moving west-northwest at 15 mph and has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the northern Yucatan Peninsula, including Cancun. The storm will likely produce rainfall of 4 to 6 in across the peninsula. The storm, which may strengthen to hurricane status on 22 July, is expected to eventually make landfall near the Texas-Mexico border on 24 July.

Airline News

United has released a list of numerous flight reductions that will take place in November. The carrier will end nonstop service between Chicago and Spokane and San Jose; Denver to Charlotte; Los Angeles to Austin and Oakland; San Francisco to Atlanta and Toronto. The airline will leave Kalamazoo and Bloomington and Myrtle Beach will become seasonal. In addition the airline is cutting the number of daily flights to several destinations. Continental is reducing the amount of drinkable water and magazines on its flights and switching to a lighter, more durable life vest. Midwest will cut daily flights from Baltimore, San Diego, St. Louis and Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers. Flights to Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers and San Diego will stop September 8. Service from Milwaukee to Los Angeles and Seattle will continue but with a stop in Kansas City.

Bomb Threats and Naked People

It must be something in the air. On Saturday an American flight from Boston to Los Angeles was forced to divert to Oklahoma City when a man undressed in one of the washrooms and went into the cabin stark naked. Passengers told him to go and get dressed, which he did. But then he decided he wanted to get off and went for the emergency exit before he was restrained by passengers and tied up. The man was taken into custody and placed under psychiatric evaluation. The plane was in the air again after an hour on the ground. Last night a Delta flight from Atlanta to Paris was diverted to Gander Newfoundland after police were notified there had been a bomb threat against the plane. There were 208 passengers and 11 crew members on board. They were evacuated while the RCMP conducted a search including using a bomb-detection dog. No bomb was found and the plane continued on to France. Another bomb threat was received on a Qantas flight from Los Angeles to Sydney just prior to take off forcing the passengers and crew off the plane. It was the second aborted take off in 24 hours for the 347 passengers and 20 crew. Just before midnight on Thursday the flight was cancelled due to a strike and passengers were taken to hotels. When they boarded the next morning US authorities boarded the aircraft to tell them there was one more piece of luggage in the cargo hold than people on the plane. It wasn't till later they found out about the bomb threat. The threat was phoned in and specified the flight and time of departure. It took about six hours to search the plane and the luggage and no bomb or evidence of an explosive device was found. Qantas put everyone up for another night and distributed food and drink vouchers.

Homeless in Atlanta Stealing Luggage on Baggage Carousels

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the airport has a problem with stolen luggage and Atlanta police regularly go undercover to stake out baggage carousels, calling it crimes of opportunity. They say the majority of the thefts are committed by homeless people who lurk in the baggage area. They take public transportation to the airport, snatch a bag or two and hop back on the train or head for a washroom and take whatever looks valuable and leave the bag behind.

Canadian Airline Fly’s to Cuba

SunWing, a Canadian airline, plans to offer flights to Varadero, Cuba from Windsor and Sault St. Marie, across the boarder from Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The company said it expected Americans to make up at least 50% of the passengers on the route from Windsor which is across the river from Detroit.

Clipper Pacific Needs Some Repairs

The old Song of Norway, now the Clipper Pacific, is being detained by the Coast Guard in New York for damage to the hull and 66 other violations found during an inspection of the ship. This ship was the first ship in the RCCL fleet when it entered service in 1970. The ship is now owned by International Shipping Partners and is chartered to a Japan-based nonprofit promoting peace who is calling the ship Peach Boat. The ship was carrying about 1,200 passengers and crew on a trip from Greenland when it sailed into New York's harbor a week ago with a one-inch gash on its hull. The Coast Guard found lifeboat damage, life jacket infractions and fire safety violations. The ship is sailing round the world but must make the repairs before going on to La Guaira.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.

Amtrak’s Ridership Increases in Maine

Amtrak's service from Portland ME to Boston has increased ridership by 28% during the last year. An additional 947 passengers rode the Downeaster every day compared with the same period last year and revenue was up 33%. The rail company credits the increases to high gas prices, increased frequency and better schedules.

Movie Increase Tourists to Greece

Hotels.com reports that searches for Greece and the Greek Islands are up after the release of the blockbuster film Manna Mia. Searches for the destination have risen more than 70%. The film was shot in various locations in Greece.

Beware of Bombings in Spain’s Cantabria Resort

The US Embassy in Madrid has issued the following Warden message. "The Basque terrorist group ETA has claimed responsibility for detonating five bombs in northern Spain this past weekend, four of which occurred near popular seaside resorts in Cantabria. Although no one was killed there were several injuries. These bombings may mark the beginning of ETA's traditional summer bombing campaign, which targets holiday resorts to hurt the Spanish tourist industry. In light of these recent bombings, US citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance, be aware of local events in all parts of Spain, and take the appropriate steps to bolster their personal safety.”

Tropical Storm Dolly to Strengthen into Full Hurricane

Tropical Storm Dolly continues to move toward the Texas-Mexico border. As of 0900 UTC on 22 July 2008, the storm was located approximately 295 mi/475 km southeast of Brownsville, Texas, and was moving west-northwest at 15 mph. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 58 mph with higher gusts. According to meteorologists, the storm is expected to strengthen to hurricane status on 22 July and make landfall near Brownsville late on 22 July or early on 23 July. Texas authorities have mobilized 1,200 National Guard troops and are readying evacuation plans. The hurricane will likely pass south of major oil installations in the Gulf of Mexico. Shell Oil and Chevron have evacuated workers from platforms in the western Gulf.

Airline News

Two British carriers, Ryanair and Thomson charge to have a toddler or baby sit on their parents lap. Ryanair charges about $32 and Thomson charges about $58 per child for the privaledge. Delta is offering complimentary US Helicopter Service between JFK and Manhatten for customers traveling in domestic first class and unrestricted economy. The offer is valid with scheduled weekday service for tickets purchased through August 29. Farecompare reports United filed a new rule change for thousands of domestic airfares which adds $80 roundtrip to domestic tickets for departure on/after January 10th, 2009. Air New Zealand's first concierges in the sky began operating this week when 11 London-based staff took up their roles on the airline's Heathrow-Los Angeles routes. They will provide a range of services, from travel advice to assistance with onward bookings to passengers in all classes.

2^nd Quarter Airline Reports Show Mostly Losses

United, US Airways and JetBlue have reported their second quarter earnings this morning. United reported a loss of $2.73 billion including special charges and high fuel costs. Revenue was up 3% and there was a non-cash special accounting charge of $2.3 billion. The airline said it would cut more than 7,000 jobs by the end of 2009. US Airways reported a loss of $567 million compared with a profit of $263 million for the same period last year. Excluding the special charges of non-cash items such as the write-down of goodwill and spare parts, the airline would have lost $101 million. JetBlue lost $7 million, compared to a loss of $21 million in the same quarter last year. As part of its cutbacks the airline will end service to Ontario on September 3 and defer the delivery of 10 Embraer E190 jets to 2016. These aircraft would have been delivered between 2009 and 2011.

Wheelchairs to Hold Carry-On Luggage

Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport is retrofitting 135 wheelchairs with rear luggage carriers that will make it easier for passengers in wheelchairs to handle their carry-on luggage and not have to carry it in their laps.

FAA Restricting Charters and Other Flights in New York

The Federal Aviation Administration is proposing new restrictions at New York's Kennedy and Newark airports to limit charters and other unscheduled operations. The FAA recently imposed new slot controls on the major scheduled airlines at Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark. The new restrictions would impose a strict quota of, at most, two charters per hour and operators would have to reserve to get approval in advance. The plan would apply to commercial charters to vacation destinations as well as air taxi flights, corporate jets and other "general aviation" flights and any other unscheduled or ad hoc flights by US or foreign airlines. Reservations can be requested as far out as six months with limits in effect from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. at each airport, allowing two unscheduled flights per hour in the morning and late evening and one per hour in the afternoon and evening up to 9.59 p.m. The new restrictions take effect August 28.

Royal Caribbean Reports on its Second Quarter

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has reported on its second quarter. The cruise line had a net income of $84.7 million compared with a net income of $128.7 million for the second quarter of 2007. Oil was a major factor in the lower net income. The cruise line plans to cut costs of about $125 million annually by eliminating approximately 400 shoreside positions and some non-core operations, including The Scholar Ship, an educational partnership aimed at college students studying aboard cruise ships.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.

When you know you are too drunk to fly…

A First Choice Airways flying from the UK to Varadero Beach, Cuba was forced to land in Bermuda last night to drop off a very drunk passenger. The man tried to open an exit door on the 767 at 30,000 feet over the Atlantic putting the whole plane in danger. The 30 year-old was, according to passengers, very drunk and became abusive and tried to open the door. Officers from the Bermuda Police Service boarded the plane and took the man into custody. He was held in a hotel until he could be put on a flight back to Gatwick and was under escort by two police officers until the plane was met at Gatwick where he was arrested on arrival. If he is found guilty of air rage offences, he could face up to a year in jail and costs of up to $34,000 for diverting a passenger flight in mid-air. The passengers and crew were put up at the Fairmont Southampton and Grotto Bay Beach Resort before continuing on their flight to Cuba.

Strikes at Qantas End

Qantas has reached an agreement with its engineers who have been conducting strike action to support a demand for a pay increase. The union has called an end to the strikes but Qantas said it would be several weeks until all of its aircraft are available to operate as normal, meaning there will still be some flight disruptions for a period of time.

Flights Banned during Open Ceremonies in China

China announced yesterday that the Beijing Capital International Airport would be closed to all "non-Olympic traffic" during the opening ceremony on August 8. No non-Olympic traffic will be allowed to take off from or land at the airport between 0800 and midnight local time. Dozens of flights will have to be rescheduled as a result. Aircraft were already banned from over-flying Beijing during the Games. The government is banning the flights to prevent terrorist attacks.

New Safety Rule for Location of Airline Fuel Tanks

The Department of Transportation has issued new safety rules to prevent fuel tanks from exploding. A device to prevent this must be installed on certain passenger jets and cargo planes that have center fuel tanks like the one on the TWA plane that exploded over the Atlantic off Long Island in July of 1996. The new rule will apply to 2,730 existing Airbus and Boeing planes built since 1991 with center wing fuel tanks. The changes must be completed within the next nine years. Manufacturers have two years in which to comply with the rule and Boeing is already making some new planes with the changes. It is a bit worry some to think this rule has been 12 years in the making and another nine years before all airlines have to comply. The National Transportation Safety Board identified the cause of the crash of TWA 800- the ignition of oxygen in a partially empty fuel tank that had been sitting for hours in the sun before takeoff. The FAA proposed a rule to prevent future explosions in 2005 but the airlines said the cost was too high.

Other Airline News

New Zealand pilots at Air Nelson, a regional carrier run by Air New Zealand, launched a three day strike last night at midnight. The action will affect about 250 flights and 10,000 travelers. Air New Zealand is working to minimize disruptions to passengers and has moved most of them to other scheduled Air New Zealand flights or chartered flights. Trans State Airlines will furlough 58 more pilots by the end of August and reduce its fleet to 43 aircraft, down from 50. 45 pilots left in June. Trans State provides regional service as an American Connection, US Airways Express and United Express. The Argentine government has reached an agreement to nationalize Aerolineas Argentinas which is currently majority owned by Marsans. The price is yet to be determined. The Abu Dhabi International Airport will be closed for runway repairs on July 22. The 12 hour closure will be in effect from 0215 until 1412 local time. Etihad Airways has cancelled a portion of its daily flights and others may be moved up or delayed because of the repairs. US Airways dispatchers are disputing the claim by some pilots that they are pressured to carry light fuel loads. The dispatchers who calculate fuel loads deny the allegation and their union said it is so much hot air. The pilots union took out a full page ad in USA TODAY over the issue. Continental says it has seen a reduction of 60% in the number of second bags being checked-in on domestic flights now there is a fee of $25 for the second bag.

Delta Queen to Stop Sailing

Fox News has taped a segment on the riverboat Delta Queen that is scheduled to withdraw from sailing in November because Congress would not renew its safety exemption. The report is expected to be shown during "Special Report with Brit Hume" at 6:00 pm tonight.

Cruise with Carnival so you don’t have to Fly

Carnival is repositioning ships to take advantage of markets where cruisers can drive to the ports. The cruise line wants to make it more attractive to prospective customers who find flying too expensive and cites Baltimore as an example. It does mean, however, the ship has to travel farther to reach the Caribbean.

Want to be a Godparent of a Ship?

Every passenger aboard the inaugural sailing of the Seaborne Odyssey next June will become a godparent of the new ship. Each passenger on the maiden voyage will have his or her name engraved on a plaque to be displayed onboard the yacht. There will be an early-evening ceremony to christen the yacht planned to coincide with the summer sunset over Venice's skyline. The ship's first voyage will include 14 days exploring the Dalmatian coast, the Greek Islands and Turkey. There are a few cabins available so if you want to become a godparent of a ship better call your travel agent now. The Odyssey is the first ultra-luxury vessel to be launched in six years, and the first of three newbuilds by Seaborne. The ship will accommodate 420 passengers in all-suite accommodations from 290 to over 1,600 sq. ft.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.

Americans Traveling Less

Destination Analysis has released the results of its bi-annual State of the American Traveler survey. The company surveyed 1,000 American leisure travelers and found that 45.8% expect to reduce the number of leisure trips they will take in the coming year. General travel spending expectations are also depressed as 29.8% said they will spend less for leisure in the next 12 months. They will seek out travel bargains and discounts and another third said they will visit less expensive destinations. The top problems to travel continue to be high gasoline prices (57.8%), personal financial reasons (49.5%) and expensive airfare (35.2%). The company is based in San Francisco and specializes in surveys in the travel, tourism and lifestyle industries.

E-Tickets for Rail Europe

Rail Europe is offering e-ticketing for all Eurostar fares, with the exception of Group fares, between London and Paris. By the end of this year e-ticketing will be available on http://agent.raileurope.com and across all of Rail Europe's booking channels. If you have an e-ticket you can take advantage of Eurostar's fast 30-minute check-in.

Anheuser-Busch Being Sold to InBev

The sale of Anheuser-Busch to InBev may trigger the sale of the company's 10 theme parks to pay for some of the $52 billion cost of acquisition. The parks are part of the deal but InBev will likely sell them to focus on its core beer business. The parks in question are Sea World parks in San Antonio, Orlando and San Diego; Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa, Busch Gardens Europe in Williamsburg, Discovery Cove in Orlando and Sesame Place in Langhorne, Aquatica in Orlando, Adventure Island in Tampa and Water Country USA in Williamsburg.

British and American Airlines Align

British and American Airlines have reached an agreement on their transcontinental joint venture and will add Iberia to the accord by month's end. The three-way venture should pave the way for them to apply for antitrust immunity by next month. That would free them to coordinate schedules and fares and share revenue. British Airways and American have applied for immunity twice before but they would have had to give up a large number of take-off and landing spots at Heathrow. They feel that since the new Open Skies agreement they have a much better chance of gaining immunity.

More Strikes on the Horizon?

The pilots at Spirit Airlines want the National Mediation Board to release them from contract negotiations which could lead to a strike. They are in their third year of negotiations for a new contract. Their union, ALPA, said management violated a number of crucial work rules in the current contract and then claimed it had the unilateral right to do so whenever it wanted to save money. The airline wants to take away scheduled time off after a trip, something the pilots do not want to do and are willing to go to court to preserve it.

The Union at Lufthansa will probably Strike

Germany's Verdi trade union which represents thousands of Lufthansa workers has launched a strike ballot over pay and expects a high voter turnout and approval of a strike. The workers have to July 24 to vote with the number of votes published the following day. If they approve, strikes could start the following weekend. Talks between the union and the airline broke down today. The airline posted increased operating profit (up 63%) and the workers want a 9.8% increase. The airline expects to make a profit this year, even with the high cost of fuel.

More Loss for Airlines

Continental reported its second quarter results this morning. The airline has a net loss of $3 million including special items. Without those special items the airline had a net loss of $25 million. The airline is reducing capacity by 10% starting in September by retiring 67 Boeing 737-300s and 737-500s, the least fuel efficient aircraft from its mainline fleet, by the end of 2009. ExpressJet will provide regional jet service at lower rates. WestJet will offer advanced seat selection for a fee, charging $10 for a seat and $15 for emergency row seats. Delta appears to be a holdout on charging a fee for the first checked bag. Let’s hope it stays that way.

JetBlue Shuffles its Services Around

JetBlue is adding new service between Portland OR and Long Beach. The service starts with one daily roundtrip flight on October 9 and a second daily flight will start on November 9. The airline will use a 100-seat Embraer E190 jet and the flight will connect to several cities. JetBlue is cutting nonstop service between Portland and JFK to seasonal service from year-round service.

US Airways Not Carrying Enough Fuel?

US Airways pilot's union said yesterday that the airline was pressuring the pilots to carry less fuel than they believed was safe in order to save money. Eight senior pilots filed complaints with the Federal Aviation Administration saying they had requested an extra 10 to 15 minutes worth of fuel and the airline ordered them to attend training sessions that could put their pilot licenses in jeopardy. In the past the carrier has required its planes to carry enough fuel to pad their flight times by 60 to 90 minutes. The airline claims the eight pilots routinely were above the 60-90 minute range.

RCCL to Downsize

Seatrade Insider News reports that RCCL may be downsizing as the cruise line looks to cut costs and become more efficient. Department heads have been asked to develop two scenarios, one by cutting their department payroll budgets by 10% and one with an overall budget cut of 25%. Most layoffs are targeted for middle to upper management positions.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.

Get Cozy with a Crocodile Downunder

A new Australian theme park is luring tourists into their "Cage of Death" for a close encounter with an 18 foot crocodile. Just 1.6 inches of acrylic will separate thrill seekers from the jaws of Choppa, a saltwater crocodile. Once in the cage tourists will spend 15 minutes in the 9 foot high cage watching Choppa trying to take a bite out of them. Crocosaurus Cove, an AUD $29 million theme park located in Darwin, is scheduled to open next week. Another seven crocodile enclosures will feature underwater viewing windows and one will have a swimming area next to the viewing window so visitors get a sense of swimming with the crocs.

Take a Ride with the Simpson’s in Orlando

Universal Orlando Resort's new Simpson Ride has been voted the "Best New Theme Park Attraction" worldwide for 2008 by consumers on Theme Park Insider.com. The ride showcases everything the television series has made famous.

Coast of California Open for Business

California's Highway 1 has been reopened to the general public after being closed because of wildfires. Most of the businesses in Big Sur are open.

More Reported Loss for the Airlines

American and Delta reported second quarter results this morning. American reported a net loss of $1.4 billion including special charges. The airline wrote down $1.1 billion in non-cash charges to write down the value of certain aircraft and related long-lived assets to their estimated fair value and a charge of about $55 million for severance related costs for capacity reductions taking place in the fourth quarter. The airline had a net loss of $284 million, excluding the special charges. Delta reported a net loss of $1 billion, including special charges. Without the special charges the airline had a net income of $137 million.

Charges for Bags and Airlines Desperately Trying to Keep Slots at Heathrow

Go! will start charging $10 the first checked bag on all of its interisland flights effective August 10. The airline reduced the cost of checking a second bag to $17. The airline added the second bag fee last month on all tickets purchased on or after June 25 for travel on or after July 15. Passengers who purchased tickets prior to July 10, corporate members, customers traveling on government fares and those traveling with an exempt flyer will not have to pay the fee.

Britain's third largest airline BMI admitted it was flying "ghost flights" in order to keep its slots at Heathrow. The government's use-it-or-use-it rules mean airlines must use 80% of their scheduled slots, or forfeit them. The airline said it would do what it can to not lose slots, including flying mostly empty planes rather than canceling the flights. The airline owns 11% of the take-off slots out of Heathrow, second only to British Airways. A peak time slot can be worth about $60 million.

Cameras to help keep Runways Clear of Foreign Objects

A new surveillance system that detects foreign objects and debris on runways will be installed at Chicago O'Hare later this year. The system has been under trial at Singapore Changi airport. The system uses a series of cameras installed along the runway to constantly capture surface images. The images are sent back to computers, allowing airport officials to verify the presence of a foreign object and determine whether to send a clean-up crew to remove it. Testing at Changi showed an object less than an inch in size could be detected from 330 yards away.

JetBlue Expands

JetBlue is expanding at Washington Dulles with three new routes. Starting December 18 the carrier will add seasonal nonstop service to both Fort Myers and West Palm Beach, flying one daily roundtrip flight a day through April 30. The airline will add seasonal Saturday-only service to San Juan. If traffic warrants the new service could be expanded to year-round service. JetBlue is also adding service from White Plains with daily nonstop service to Tampa and is adding frequencies on existing routes to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and West Palm Beach in November.

Single Travel with Taulk Tours Price Reduced

Taulk Tours has reduced its single supplement on a total of 28 departures of ocean and river cruise itineraries. Supplements have been reduced by up to 86% per itinerary. On average the savings are 65% and there is a good choice of itineraries offered.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.

High-Speed Trains for Air France KLM

Air France KLM is in early talks with French rail company SNCF about high-speed train cooperation. The SNCF has offered Air France to set up a special joint unit for the rail link between airport hubs. High-speed rail links have already taken traffic from short distance air links. With existing or upcoming high-speed rail links between Paris, Amsterdam or Frankfurt, airlines could transport long-distance air travelers to their hubs, boosting load factor and cutting costs.

Dollar gets hit by the Euro (again)

The Euro hit a new all time high versus the dollar this morning at $1.6036. By the time you add in bank fees it will be about $1.70.

Earthquake on Island of Rhodes

An undersea earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale struck the south-east Aegean Island of Rhodes this morning. The US Geological Survey said the quake measured 6.4 at a depth of 68 km. There are no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Great Travel Site Just for Women

There is a new travel web site out there for women only called "Chickable" that has been designed to capitalize on the growing popularity of women-only vacations/trips. The site allows women to find like-minded travel companions, search destinations or plan a trip with friends. Users of the site can compare notes, photos and videos. Visit it at http://www.chickable.com/

London Open for Comments & Complaints

Visit London has launched a complaints service as part of a scheme to make the capital more visitor friendly, in anticipation of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Consumers may submit complaints via visitlondon.com/complaints through any London Tourist Information center or by email to listen@visitlondon.com

Ads on our Boarding Passes

Everywhere we turn we have ads in our faces. Now they are going to be on our boarding passes. A company in Omaha has partnered with five airlines to offer online boarding passes that will be covered with coupons, weather information and restaurant and event promotions for their destinations, another way for airlines to make money. Delta is the first airline to offer the ads on their boarding passes starting today. A sample online boarding pass for Las Vegas includes ads for Angel Park Golf Club, a David Copperfield magic performance and 10 restaurants and Cirque du Soleil shows. Travelers can click on the ads to get more information, order tickets or make reservations. Advertisers pay the Omaha company while Delta, Continental, Northwest, United and US Airways will be minority shareholders in the company. The online check-in will remain essentially the same until the boarding pass appears on a computer screen. Then the traveler will be able to click on the various ads and suggestions. When the pass is printed the ads will automatically print too. You will be able to click a box to prevent the ads from being printed.

Midwest Airlines to Make Largest Employee Cut Yet

Midwest announced yesterday it will cut the number of employees about 40%, the largest number announced by any airline. The airline said the cuts are the result of grounding its 12 MD-80 fleet after Labor Day.

Alitalia’s Fate Up-in-the-Air

The chairman of Alitalia said the future of the airline is not being constructed around a bankruptcy or by putting debts into a separate entity. A plan to save the airline is being put together and should be ready early next month. It can't come too soon as the airline is still losing some million euros a day.

Want to Cruise in Theme? Check Out this Website

Check out a new web site that offers lists of themed cruises. It lists all the specially-themed cruises led by celebrities who excel in their various fields, from astronauts to movie stars, athletes and authors. Go to http://www.themecruisefinder.com/

Carnival Cruise Lines to Test New Seating Options

Micky Arison, CEO of Carnival Corp. said that the environment for new cruise ship orders is very difficult and Carnival has not ordered a new ship for over a year. He sees a slowdown in capacity growth if economic conditions worldwide and currency exchange rates remain constant. Carnival is testing open seating on the Legend. The upper seating in the main dining room will be used for open seating while keeping traditional seating on the lower level. Testing will start soon on the Liberty.

Check-In Dockside if you Fly with Delta

Delta is the first airline to provide dockside check-in at the Port of Barcelona for those cruisers returning from a Mediterranean cruise and flying to either New York or Atlanta. Passengers arriving at Terminal B on RCCL, NCL and Holland America will be able to check in for their Delta flights, check baggage and get boarding passes. The service is available for DL 95 to New York and DL 115 to Atlanta. This will be on a permanent basis and in time it will be available to all cruise ships in Barcelona.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.

Mexico Shuts Down Hotels on Land Worth Millions to the Government

The Mexican government has closed five small, exclusive hotels on Tulum's beaches and at least five other hotels are under investigation. Under dispute are the titles of the land and whether the hotels were built in a federal park. The federal environmental prosecutor says the land is protected and the government wants to eventually demolish the buildings and leave the area untouched. One of the small hotel owners says the government wants the land which is now worth millions. The government says they will allow guests to stay until they are scheduled to leave but they will not allow new clients to stay as the owners have not been able to show adequate titles and the buildings are too close to the Mayan ruins and are built in an area for protected plant and animal species. The hotels have been there for some 20 years without government interference. In Acapulco, the government shut down construction of a development it says did not meet environmental standards.

Hawaii Implements New Fees

The surcharge on rental cars in Hawaii will increases by $1 to $4 a day. The increase will go for the planning and construction of new rental car facilities at the airport. The original surcharge was to have been dropped last year but the legislature voted to continue it at $3 to ensure there would be a constant flow of funds into the state highway fund for road construction. The cost of getting married in Hawaii for some couples is also going up. The state's Department of Land and Natural Resources is requiring a permit for all commercial beach weddings on state beaches and unencumbered lands. Many commercial wedding businesses have been operating on state lands without permits. Now applicants must identify the location and size of the area being requested for an event, identify the county tax map key number for the site, show proof of liability insurance coverage and pay a fee of 10 cents per square foot for each day, with a minimum of $20.

Unseen Dots on your Laser Color Printed Documents used by the Secret Service

Big Brother is getting to be a bit much: USA TODAY reports that using a color laser printer is raising concerns among civil liberties advocates about your privacy not being worth the paper you are printing on. Manufacturers are using laser technology that leaves microscopic yellow dots on each printed page to identify the printer's serial number and ultimately, you. The technology has been around for years but the declining price of laser printers and the increasing number of models with this feature is causing renewed concerns. The dots are invisible to the naked eye but can be seen using a blue LED light ad are used by authorities such as the Secret Service. Privacy advocates are worried that the technology could be used to ensnare political activists, whistle-blowers or anyone who prints materials that authorities want to track. Right now the Secret Service is the only one in the US that has the ability to decode the information carried in the dots and only uses it to investigate counterfeiting.

Is Terminal 5 at Heathrow Really Working Now?

British Airways reports that Terminal 5 is now running smoothly, although on an average day some 932 bags do not connect with their owners. The main terminal is handling 360 flights a day and T5B, a satellite connected by train to T5, is handling some 60 flights a day. A third satellite, C, will open in 2010. On September 17, 30 more flights will transfer to T5 and the final 13 will transfer at the end of October. Dublin Airport was operating at 80% capacity on Friday, following days of disruptions due to a fault in the radar system. The cause has been identified and a comprehensive system evaluation process by the suppliers of the radar is now being carried out. Many flights had to be cancelled last week and Ryanair claimed it was losing over a million pounds a day.

State may take over Aerolineas Argentinas Airline

The Argentine government has asked a judge to appoint an administrator for Aerolineas Argentinas. The move was seen as a positive step toward a state takeover of the company. The airline is controlled by a privately held Spanish tourism group, Marsans. The airline is behind on June salary payments, has been plagued by strikes and complaints about poor service and faces growing debt under state-controlled fares in spite of fuel being subsidized.

Antitrust Paper Issued Against the Merger of Delta and Northwest Airlines

The American Antitrust Institute issued a white paper today that analyzes how the proposed merger of Delta and Northwest could harm competition and consumers.  The white paper is a five-part analysis of the proposed deal, which they feel should be blocked because of potential adverse competitive effects that could flow from the merger, any or all of which could result in restricted seat availability, higher fares, degraded service quality and less choice for consumers. It was found that efficiencies claimed by the two airlines are likely to be defeated by larger network size. In addition, entry by legacy networks and low-cost carriers cannot be counted on to discipline post-merger price increases. You can access the white paper here http://www.antitrustinstitute.org/Archives/deltaNWpaper.ashx

Frequent Flyer Tickets May Cost Airlines More

Airlines may be forced to cut back on their frequent flyer programs following changes to international accountancy rules, according to White Concierge. The company reports that more airlines are contacting it about the possibility of offering a concierge service to their most important passengers and it believes that changes to these accounting rules is partly behind this move. In the past, airlines have recorded unused flyer miles on its balance sheet on the basis of customers sitting in empty seats. The new rules from the International Accounting Standards Board, which are now in effect, means the cost of frequent flyer rewards should be valued at the amount the reward credits could be sold separately. The value of the cost of a full price ticket will now have to be used in recording value on the books, resulting in a huge financial impact on the airlines.

No Fuel Surcharges in 2009 for Deilmann River Cruise

Peter Deilmann River Cruises has pledged not to add fuel surcharges on their 2009 cruises. The fare published will be the fare payable for 2009 sailings. Customers who have sailed before on a Deilmann cruise will receive a new "past guest loyalty saving" of 3% off the published brochure fare.

Cruise West Cancels Cruise for Ship Repair

Cruise West cancelled one cruise of its Spirit of Glacier Bay's four night cruises due to damages sustained by the ship when it ran aground a few days ago off the coast of Alaska. The ship is being repaired in Juneau but so far no date has been announced when the ship will return to service. This was the second grounding the cruise line has experienced this year plus one mechanical problem where cruises have been cancelled. The line is working with the Coast Guard on a complete Safety Management System Review.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.

Airports to Increase Fees to Airlines = To Customer

The Department of Transportation has issued a final rule that will permit US airports to base airline rates and charges on "market incentives" as well as the traditional aircraft weight metric currently in use, opening the door for operators of congested airports to impose higher fees on aircraft landing during peak hours. US airlines have fought against the proposals.

Vegas Bookings Down

Las Vegas casinos are not having an easy time these days. Casino revenue dropped 16.4% in May compared to May 2007 figures. Nevada revenue fell 15.2% with table games down 15.7% and slots down 15.1%. The figures represent the 5th consecutive month that revenues have fallen and the strip posted its worst figures for the year. When capacity cuts at airlines go into effect this fall Vegas will be hit with a double whammy: Fewer seats to fill and more hotel rooms coming on line.

Airports May Get Right to Scan Portable Media Players for Piracy Infringement

This is an interesting item out of the G8 meetings held this week. The G8 is looking at plans to give airports the power to scan portable media players for copyrighted material when you fly under its upcoming Anti-counterfeiting Trade Agreement. This would give custom officials the power to scan MP3 players, laptops and even mobile phones for illegally-obtained copyrighted material when passengers pass through borders. The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement Measures form part of an international agreement aimed at stamping out piracy. What next? Talk about George Orwell's 1984!

Flight Cancellations through the Roof!

The DOT reports that the airlines have cancelled nearly 65,000 flights so far this year, almost as many as all of 2007. Better make sure you have a Plan B when traveling this summer.

Airline News

Oil hit another record this morning at $146.90 a barrel. Air Canada is laying off 632 flight attendants in November due to a capacity cut of 7% of scheduled flights. Six hundred machinists will also lose their jobs as well as some 50 in cargo operations and 400 in ticketing, call-center and reservation jobs. The airline is also closing down 2 flight attendant bases. The union says many of the affected workers have 20 to 40 years of service and earn top wages. Lufthansa is facing further strikes this summer after talks on pay for about 50,000 ground and cabin crew broke down yesterday. The Verdi union said it would call on a strike vote from Monday and industrial action could start in two weeks, not good news for holiday passengers booked on Lufthansa. Varig has signed an agreement with American that allows passengers to purchase tickets to all destinations served by the two airlines. The deal allows the tickets to be sold through travel agents, call centers, and ticket offices.

EU Airlines to Publish Final Cost of Airline Tickets

Members of the European Parliament have agreed airlines must include all airport taxes, fees and charges in the basic price advertised to travelers. All known costs at the time of publication must be clearly set out. The new rule had already been agreed upon by the EU transport ministers. They want to end misleading promotions that advertise very-low ticket prices leaving out the extra costs which purchasers must pay.

Top Airlines in the Industry

Travel + Leisure has released the results of their annual survey. The top 10 airlines lead with Singapore Airlines and end with Korean Air and not a US airline is on the top ten list. Number 2 is Emirates followed by Thai International, Cathay Pacific, Silk Air, Japan Airlines, All Nippon, Virgin Atlantic air Tahiti Nui and Korean Air. Virgin Atlantic is the only non Asia airline to make the top ten. That must tell us something.

Largest Ship Joins Carnival Fleet

The Carnival Splendor has been christened in Dover by Myleene Klass, a British celebrity. A British navy diver in wetsuit and flippers climbed up a 60 ft. line with a bottle of sparkling wine in a pouch and smashed the bottle against the hull. The ship is the largest in the Carnival fleet. The ship will operate in Northern Europe with its first sailing from Dover on July 13.

More Menu Choices on Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity is enhancing its dining program, adding a new brunch, 200 new menu selections and upgraded casual dining options. A more modern design with upgraded equipment and signage will be added to the lido cafe/dining areas on every ship plus expanded menu options, new action stations and made-to-order areas and more destination-influenced and ethnic cuisine. A one-night per cruise gala midnight buffet will be replaced with a one-per-cruise brunch. Deserts, sandwiches, and other snacks will be found at Cova Cafe from 11 pm to closing.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.

What is Homeland Security Thinking???

You have to wonder about those senior officials at the Department of Homeland Security and their hare-brained ideas. This one's a doozey. A senior official expressed "great interest" in having all airline passengers wear an electronic bracelet "until they disembark their flight at their destination." This little multi-purpose device will conveniently take the place of a boarding pass, contain information about the passenger, monitor the location of each flyer and his/her luggage and double as a stun device so that the wearer can be zapped and completely immobilized for several minutes. The bracelet is distributed in Canada and the DHS official, Paul Ruwaldt of the Science and Technology Directorate, office of Research and Development, wrote to Lamperd Less Lethal which distributes the bracelet saying, "We find your ideas have merit and believe it would be of great help on the borders and indeed for anywhere else, for which temporary restraint of large numbers of individuals in open area environments by a small number of Law Enforcement Officers. In addition, it is conceivable to envision a use to improve air security on passenger planes". The Department of Homeland Security has solicited a proposal from the company to develop a passenger stun bracelet.

See the Best Places to Travel to

Travel + Leisure have released the results of its World's Best Awards survey this morning. Bangkok was voted World's Best City followed by Buenos Aries, Cape Town, Sydney and Florence. Sydney took the Top 5 Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific Best Award followed by Melbourne, Queenstown, Perth and Hobart. The Top 5 Asia cities gave Bangkok top place followed by Kyoto, Chiang Mai, Hong Kong and Udaipur. Florence took top spot for Europe followed by Rome, Istanbul, Paris and Krakow. Buenos Aries took top place in the Mexaco and Central America and South America followed by Cuzco, San Miguel de Allende, Rio de Janeiro and Antigua, Guatemala. The Top five in Africa and the Middle East saw Capetown take the lead followed by Jerusalem, Fez, Marrakesh and Cairo. The top five islands overall were Galapagos Islands, Bali, Maui, Kauai and Tasmania.

Letter from Airlines Regarding Oil Crisis – Interesting Read

Twelve of our airlines have sent a letter to all their airline customers asking for help during this oil crisis. The following is an excerpt from the letter: "Twenty years ago, 21% of oil contracts were purchased by speculators who trade oil on paper with no intention of ever taking delivery. Today, oil speculators purchase 66% of all oil futures contracts, and that reflects just the transactions that are known. Speculators buy up large amounts of oil and then sell it to each other again and again. A barrel of oil may trade 20-plus times before it is delivered and used; the price goes up with each trade and consumers pick up the final tab. Some market experts estimate that current prices reflect as much as $30 to $60 per barrel in unnecessary speculative costs. Over seventy years ago, Congress established regulations to control excessive, largely unchecked market speculation and manipulation. However, over the past two decades, these regulatory limits have been weakened or removed. We believe that restoring and enforcing these limits, along with several other modest measures, will provide more disclosure, transparency and sound market oversight. Together, these reforms will help cool the over-heated oil market and permit the economy to prosper. The nation needs to pull together to reform the oil markets and solve the growing problem. We need you help. Get more information and contact Congress by visiting http://www.stopoilspeculationnow.com/ ". The letter was signed by CEO's of AirTran, American, Delta, JetBlue, Northwest, United, Alaska, Continental, Hawaiian, Midwest, Southwest and US Airways.

Airlines Go Crazy (again) with Extra Charges

Delta announced it would cut almost 23% of flights out of Cincinnati this fall although the airline plans to keep a hub there. The number of flights will drop from about 407 daily flights to 314 daily flights and the airline is dropping direct service to 13 cities. Some cuts are part of the normal reduced schedules for the slow period. Northwest said it would reduce its staff by 2,500 frontline and management employees as it reduces the size of its fleet by more than 40 aircraft this year. The airline is also going to charge $15 for the first checked bag beginning August 28 on flights in the US and to Canada, WorldPerks tickets will cost $25-$100 beginning September 25 and ticket exchanges will increase to $150, effective yesterday. Virgin Atlantic and Continental intend to extend their codeshare agreement to Continental's new Newark-London Heathrow service within the next 30 days.

Heathrow Airport Loosing Bags Left and Right

Britain's Guardian newspaper reports that Heathrow's terminal 5 is still losing more than 900 bags a day. The trade union says the baggage handling system still needs improvement and travelers on connecting flights have a 1 in 12 chance of being separated from their checked luggage. These figures are higher than all the other terminals combined. Transfer bags from T4 have to be manually transferred to T5 because there is no mechanical system for loading the bags. Airport owner BAA says there is a baggage link under construction between the two terminals. It takes some 18 minutes by bus to go between the two terminals so add time to unload, move and load bags and you need a minimum of two hours for connections and more is better. If your flight is late your chances of getting your bag at your destination are slim at best. The Telegraph reports that both British Airways and owner BAA were warned of chaos at Terminal 5. Union leaders told members of the House of Commons Transport Committee that no consideration was given to the views of those working at the terminal that were aware of the potential glitches in the system.

Airlines Closing – Far Worse then After September 11

IATA reports oil prices forced 25 airlines to close during the first six months of 2008 and calls it an unprecedented event in aviation history. In the six months that followed 9/11 only 8 airlines, including Swiss Air, Sabena and Ansett were shut down. In the past six months IATA suspended 25 airlines from the payment system and that is done only when an airline goes bankrupt or ceases activity.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.

EU Airline Emissions

The European Parliament ahs adopted a compromise agreement with the European Council on including aviation in the EU Emissions Trading System beginning January 1, 2012. All flights starting or landing in Europe will be included in the scheme. Airline emissions allowances in 2012 will be capped at 97% of the average annual emissions in 2004-06 and 95% from 2013 onward. 85% of emissions certificates will be allocated for free according to a common European benchmark and the remaining 15% will be auctioned. American airlines that fly to any of the states in the EU will have to comply. The 27 member states will have the discretion to determine how to use revenue generated from allowance auctions as long as it is applied to research and development, climate change mitigation or related endeavors.

Book with Sandals Resorts – They Pay All Surcharges & Taxes

Sandals Resorts is guaranteeing the cost of its holidays by paying all fuel surcharges and taxes on guest's flights to the Caribbean this winter. The offer applies to stays of 14 nights or more and booked prior to August 15 for travel from September 1 through December 20. It is only valid on selected suite and room categories at Sandals' Grande Ocho Rios Beach & Villa Resort, Dunns River Villaggion Golf Resort & Spa, Whitehouse European Village & Spa, Royal Bahamian Spa Resort & Offshore Island, Grande Antigua Resort & Spa, Regency La Toc Golf Resort & Spa and Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort.

Civil Unrest in Peru

The Peruvian government has deployed the military to protect government property during a transportation strike and civil unrest in the country. Yesterday farmers began blocking traffic in the country's interior and closed rail service to Manchu Picchu. Some of the roads that continue to be blocked are Ayacucho, Cuzco, Puno and Huaraz. The rail company said it would resume rail service to Manchu Picchu tomorrow.

All the Airline News

Air France is raising fuel surcharges again, increasing short-haul flights by 2 euros on domestic flights, four euros on medium haul flights, 10 euros on long-haul flights and 14 euros on very long-haul flights. The euro this morning is at 1.57174 USD.  Comair has advised employees it expects to cut 8% of its work force this fall and ground 14 of its 50-seat jets. The airline expects to cut about 300 pilot and 220 flight attendant positions.  JetBlue reported June traffic increased 2.3% on a capacity increase of 3.2% and a load factor of 83.1%.  US Airways is planning to remove in-flight movie systems from some of its airplanes. Routes to be affected are domestic flights and flights to Mexico and the Caribbean. The airline said that fewer people now pay the $5 for headsets and fuel, maintenance and studio fees have gone up. The movie systems add 500 pounds to a plane's weight and that increases fuel use. The systems will be turned off November 1. The carrier has expanded the number of choice seats for which it will charge up to $30 to reserve. A United flight from Denver to Des Moines was delayed for six hours yesterday when three ticks were found in the cabin by a passenger. United said it was an unusual situation and regrets any inconvenience caused to passengers. No one knows how the ticks got on the plane (something like the skunk on the Miami plane). A replacement plane took the passengers to Des Moines while the original plane was deticked.<